Antimicrobial polymeric membranes that are both mechanically robust and functional renewable would have broad technological implications for areas ranging from foods industry and bioengineering to medical safety; however, creating such materials have proven extremely challenging. Here, we report a novel strategy to create high-strength N-halamine incorporated poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) membranes (HAF membranes) with renewable antimicrobial activity by combining melt radical graft polymerization and reactive extrusion technique. Our approach allows the intrinsically rechargeable N-halamine moieties to be covalently incorporated into polymeric films with high biocidal activity and durability. The resulting HAF membranes exhibit integrated properties of robust mechanical strength, high porosity, rechargeable chlorination capability (&gt; 3000 ppm), and long-term durability, which can effectively offer 5 logs CFU reduction against typical pathogenic bacterium Escherichia coli within a short contact time of 1 h, even at high organism conditions. The membranes demonstrated effective inhibition of formation biofilms. The successful synthesis of HAF membranes also provides a versatile platform for exploring the applications of antimicrobial N-halamine moieties in food packaging, antimicrobial coating, water disinfection, and protective clothing.

Mechanically robust N-halamine grafted PVA-co-PE membranes with renewable antimicrobial activity

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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